


The Past Always Rises

by kaylee_wolf



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: (he's also BIG MLM energy so... going with that), Completed, Found Family, Gen, rost lives because i saID SO, thank the lovely discord server for this meal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaylee_wolf/pseuds/kaylee_wolf
Summary: Aloy is exploring Plainsong when she comes across a familiar face. Her fa- ...the man who raised her.
Relationships: Aloy & Rost (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	The Past Always Rises

**Author's Note:**

> Do you like HZD? Join the discord!
> 
> https://discord.gg/rb6GuFYMcP
> 
> (As a note, I'm guessing about some Utaru rituals, but... I'm trying.)

Aloy didn't expect anything about what she saw when she guided the gaggle of children back to the town. At first, it consisted of disbelief and denial, but... the longer she stood there the more she realized it was real. Rost, her fath- the man who raised her, had left for Utaru land and settled down. Without telling her. Perhaps at first, she felt a bit replaced and pushed aside. It didn't last though.

She was desperate. But she knew it wouldn't turn out well. He wanted to have _this_ family.

So she pulled up her mask and tried walking away. However, it didn't last. With her luck, of course it didn't.

"Wait, Miss Machine Tamer!" the little girl who was clutching Rost's legs just a moment ago exclaimed. "My dad says you should stay for supper."

She paused. There was no way she would be able to say no. Her hair was covered in enough ash and mud that the red wasn't all that noticeable, so she would be alright. As long as she was careful. So, she crouched down and smiled under the mask. "Oh, really? I guess it'd be rude if I said no?"

"Yep!"

Aloy sighed gently, patting the fellow redhead on the top of the head. "I'll stay. But just for dinner."

"Okay!" the girl, who Aloy found out was named Ame, exclaimed. She rushed away back to Rost. Aloy finally noticed that his face was partially wiped clean, his former face paint faded. A few parts of it had streaked across his forehead.

Aloy slapped herself on her cheeks to snap herself out of it. "Let's just... get through dinner." She made sure her Focus was hidden as she followed them. It was helpful, but a dead giveaway.

The dinner was a feast. Less meat than Nora festivals, but still huge. There were bowls full of hardened grain that tasted a bit like honey and at least a dozen types of bread. Fruits and vegetables decorated the tables. While few, some meat-filled plates were sparsely scattered about. There was a prayer thanking the dead before the feast truly started, which Aloy found sweet. It was only once the eating began that she realized how absolutely _ravenous_ she was.

She ate more than she had in weeks and felt as though she was about to burst once she was done.

Ame had sidled up to her side over the course of the meal to begin chatting her ear off. Mostly about what her dads were teaching her and the different machines in the area. Aloy did her part in asking whatever questions she could think of and simply listening.

The kid was cute and... she was Rost's daughter. There was no way Aloy could tell her no.

"You should stay! Just for tonight?"

The disguised redhead tapped the table. "I really should get going..."

"Pleeeeease?" the girl asked pleadingly.

Aloy didn't want to leave even though she knew she had to. But... what would one night do? "Okay. Just tonight!"

The kid cheered as she ran off to Rost once again. This time his mate was with him. An Utaru. She was happy for him despite all the heartache she went through. He deserved to have something to go home to. Aloy rose from the table, carefully walking over to the trio. When Rost noticed her, he had the smallest of smiles.

"I never got to thank you. Thank you for bringing my daughter home, Death Seeker."

She had completely forgotten about the paint on her face. "It was nothing."

"Nonsense," his mate replied. "The little one says you're staying the night? Let us use that as thanks."

Aloy was caught completely off guard. "There's no need."

"Well, Miss Machine Tamer," Rost's mate said. "We insist. My name is Okni, this is Rost. And our daughter, Ame."

\--------

She fell asleep faster than she thought she could. But despite that, a nightmare was still lurking. This time it was Rost's supposed death. It burned into her mind that he was gone. With each repeat of the stabbing and explosion, she cried out for him. Desperate to have him stay. She just wanted him to go with her. Unknown to Aloy, she was mumbling his name and reaching out to the open air.

And she was woken up by Rost. But she thought she was still dreaming. So she reached forward and hugged him. "Dad... don't leave again. Please..."

Aloy fully woke up about an hour later and realized what she had done. Rost was sleeping against what she was on and she wanted to reach out and make sure it was real. But she didn't. Instead, she just sat up and gathered her things. She was going to leave and never return, letting him have his happy family without her interfering. She was going to make sure he was happy. Even if it was without her.

However, he woke up before she could.

"Aloy, wait!"

His voice was so _desperate_ that she had to stop in her tracks. She turned slowly, eyes tearing up as Rost stood and hugged her. It had been so long since that had happened. It made her break down to the point of sobs. She held him so tight to make sure he couldn't disappear. Her tears soaked his shirt and his crashed to the floor. They sat like that for a few minutes, just basking in the fact they found each other.

After that... it was catching up.

She told him about everything that had happened before she came to Plainsong. The worry on his face was evident even though she was in front of him safe and sound. All of her endeavors were dangerous, but she wanted him to know. He missed out on far too much. Then she was interrogated about her face paint. The panic was obvious. _He_ was a Death Seeker and knew how breaking it could be.

"The Matriarchs made me a Seeker," she replied gently. "I wanted to... have something of yours. So I copied the paint."

The relieved sigh even made her feel comfortable. "Thank the Goddess."

Once the other two awoke, proper introductions were in place. And when he introduced her as his daughter, she almost cried some more. Ame was ecstatic to have an older sister (who was a machine tamer at that!) and Okni was just glad to have more family. Rost and Aloy were glad to have each other back. She didn't want to leave, not at first, but they all knew she had more things to discover. But Rost made sure that she knew...

"You always have a home here, Aloy."

**Author's Note:**

> Do you still like HZD? Join the discord!
> 
> https://discord.gg/rb6GuFYMcP
> 
> (p.s. Ame is spoiled as hell. She gets LOTS of gifts from her older sister.)


End file.
